The Book Of Common Prayer: 1662 Version (Everyman's Library CLASSICS)

Like all Everyman titles, this is set in a very legible font and neatly bound. A Chronology covering the years 1485 to 1689 is useful towards understanding contemporary events and their impact. Diarmaid MacCulloch is an Oxford academic, expert on Cranmer and the rise of English Protestantism which saw the Book of Common Prayer take shape. His valuable & detailed Introduction makes clear that the Book of Common Prayer (together with Shakespeare's plays & the King James Bible) has played a key part in forming the English Language as we know it. That is a fact, although even the educated classes may not realise it, far less hoi polloi, 'the multitude whom no man can number' in our increasingly secular Britain, whose Sundays are spent in Shopping Centres, seldom setting foot in church. The Book of Common Prayer is a treasure upon which I am poorly qualified to add any substantive comment beyond saying that I regret not having acquired it sooner. Highly recommended.

Perfect gift

Took me back to my childhood. The words so nice to read and brought back many memories.

Practicing Anglicans throughout the world are doubtless already aware of the this edition. It is compact, in a clear type and astonishingly cheap.But many others, students perhaps, may be interested in handling this book which they have often heard of but never seen. The book was written in England in the mid-sixteenth century, when the Protestant reformers were changing the language of public worship from Latin into English. It author, Archbishop Cranmer, wished to keep as close as possible to the existing forms of worship in the Catholic Church.But he also wished to shorten and simplify them to make them suitable for ordinary lay people. The number of services of public or common worship was cut down to two per day, mattins or morning service and evensong. The Psalter was to be chanted over the course of a month instead of a week. A communion service could be added to mattins. The Latin texts of the services were then faithfully translated from Latin into English, and Catholics nowadays are very familiar with them as they had their translation after Vatican II. The Book of Common Prayer or prayer in common was attacked from two sides. The Catholics wanted to retain the old services in their entirety in Latin. More extreme reformers wanted to ditch all traditional services and construct an entirely new kind of service. The English monarchs however insisted that the Book of Common Prayer and it alone could be used in churches. In the heyday of the British Empire Anglican Churches using the Book of Common Prayer were established all through the Empire and the Book of Common Prayer is used worldwide in the Anglican Communion. As a handbook of what you need to know about Anglican worship this book is indispensible.

Beautifully bound and printed. A joy to have.

I bought this version of the Book of Common Prayer as a Confirmation present for my granddaughter . It was a special request . She was really pleased and very happy that I had been able to obtain this for her on this special occasion from Amazon. Thank you Amazon.

An excellent edition of this wonderful book. Bought it for a friend who is delighted with it

When you understand the history of this one little book and the changes it has wrought in so many aspects of our culture, its astonishing any Christian can fail to own it.

讃美歌集。予備知識が十分にないので、必要なものを探しにくい。

This is a very nice book. But, when I read, "This reprint of the 1662 version features appendices from the 1549 version," in the description, I got the impression it was a reprint/facsimili using the contents of the *original* (printed in 1662) version of the Book of Common Prayer without the modern updates. It is not. This edition is the standard updated version of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer used today in the Church of England. It includes the 1922 updates to the lessons. It includes the updates to the current Monarchy (Elizabeth, Charles, etc.). The tables for finding specific holy days begin in 1999. While it includes the contents of the 1662 edition, it also includes all the modern updates. I was looking for a reproduction of the exact contents of the 1662 edition (even with Elizabethan English spelling--"s"s look like "f"s) so I was a little disappointed. However, I already have a copy of the Oxford and Cambridge editions of the current 1662 Book of Common Prayer and this version is much nicer. It's larger, has a more sturdy binding, and has a beautiful layout and typeface. If you are looking for the current version of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, this edition is *very* good. If you are looking for a reproduction of the Book of Common Prayer as printed in 1662, this is not it.

It has place in the library, product is in excellent condition in daily use

The Book of Common Prayer is an anointed book and helps you read the Bible systematically and be in the true doctrine of the Word. Thank You JESUS for Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and for His work of dedication and service.

It's great to have a print copy of this classic BCP which has set the standard for all subsequent offerings, save that of the not so Common Worship of the C. Of E. It is a no frills version, but the paper quality and type set are fine and make a great addition to anyone's theological and practical library. Really a must have.